Rowing device



Aug 28, 1951 I G. w. ANDERsoN 'ROWING DEVICE Filed Feb. ll. 1947Patented Aug. 28, 1951 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE ROWING DEVICE Gene W.Anderson, Gig Harbor, Wash.

Application February 11, 1947, Serial N o. 727,755

`1 Claim.

This invention relates to oars and vit has reference more particularlyto improvements in oars of that kind referred to as forward rowing oars;it being the principal object of the invention to provide a novel oarstructure, designed for either forward or backward rowing 'and readilyconvertible from one type to the other.

- It is also an object of the invention to provide an oar structure, forboth forward and back-Ward rowing, and Which'permits the necessary upand down angular movement of the oar for dipping the blade into andlifting it from the water in either of the m'anners of use of the oar.

Another object of the invention is to provide an oar of the above kindthat is of simplified yet durable construction and especially desirablefor pleasure craft.

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction ofparts, in their combination and mode of use, as will hereinafter befully described.

In accomplishing the above listed and other objects of the invention, Ihave provided the improved details of construction, the preferred formsof which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is -a plan View of a boat that is equipped with oars embodyingthe improvements of the present invention therein.

`Fig. 2 is an enlarged, plan view of 'a portion of one of the oarsparticularly illustrating the geared connection between the handle andblade portions of the oar.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section, taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, sectional detail showing the gear lookingmeans used in converting the oar from forward to backward rowing.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- The present oar is intendedfor use as in normal boat rowing Operations and is applied to the boatin the usual position and is handled in the same manner as the usualtype of oar is handled.

In its present preferred form of construction, the oar comprises aninner end portion, or what I call the handle portion, ID, and an outerend portion herein called the blade portion, IZ. Together theseportions, as herein assembled, make up an oar of normal length.

The handle portion IO is equipped at its outer end with a gear segmentIll 'and the blade portion |2, likewise, is equipped at its inner endwith a gear segment l5. The two gear segments are supported in operativemesh as presently explained and are rotatably mounted for turning ontheir mounting axis. i

The means for mounting the gear segments to which the blade and handleportions of the oar are applied, comprises a frame made up of a baseplate 15 and a top plate ll. These two plates are disposed in parallelvertically spaced planes and are rigidly joined in this relationship bybolts [8 that extend through the plates. Tubular spacers |9 are appliedabout the bolts between the plates, as best shown in Fig. 5, and thesespacers and bolts hold the plates in a definite, spaced'relfationship.

The gear segments, |4 and |5, are mounted between the plates and rotate,respectively, on the y spacer tubes l9-l 9 which serve as mounting axefor the said segments.

The base plate |6 is equipped at opposite edges midway between the pivotbolts, with spaced down turned ears 25-20 and the frame structure,comprised by the plates IS and I 'L-is operatively supported by an oarlock comprising a Vertical pivot pin or shank 2| having a head portion22 at its upper end; thel head portion being disposed between the ears20- 25 'and pivotallysecured thereto by a horizontal pivot pin 23extended therethrough as best shown in Fig. 4. The shank 2| is a-daptedto be mountedin a Vertical socket 25 that is formed at the outer end ofa plate 26 that is fixed rigidly to the rail 21 of the boat 28 as shownin Figs. 1 and 3. This socket, however, might be in the rail itself ifthe width of the boat is such that this can be done without convenienceto the oarsman.

It should be explained here that for forward rowing, the shank 2| islocked against turning in its socket. This is effected by extending -apin 29 diametrically through the socket member and shank as shown inFig. 3, the parts being drilled for the reception of this looking pin.

In the arrangement as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 which is that for forwardrowing, it is to be noted that the line of the axes of the gear segmentsis transversely of the boat and that the pivot pin 23` is horizontallydisposed and extends in the longitudinal direction of the boat. Thuswhile the oar maybe dipped up and down by the pivoting of the frameabout the axis of the pin 23, the pivot axes about which the gearsegments are mounted maintain their alignment in a transverse Verticalplane.

Assuming the parts to be so constructed and assembled, and consideringthe shank 2| to be held against rotation in the socket, it is to beunderstood that the frame may pivot on pin 23 and the oar may be dippedinto or lifted from the Water in the usual Way by raising and loweringthe handle portion. With the oarsman facing the forward end of the boatand the oar handles extended to normal handling position forwardly ofhim, rearward pull on the handle portions will, by reason of use of thepivotally mounted and intermeshing geared segments |4 and |5, cause theblade portions of the oars to be 'swung rearwardly, and thus the boatmay be driven forwardly. Likewise, when the handle portions are returnedforwardly, the blade portions move forwardly.

If it is desired to use the oars for backward rowing after the fashionof use of the usual type of oar, the looking pins -29 are withdrawn sothat the shanks 2| may then rotate freely in their sockets. Then thehandle and blade portions of the oars are brought into alignment and thegear segments of each are locked against 'relative turni'ng. Thislooking of Vthe gear segments is efiected 'by means best shown in Fig. fwherein it is noted that each gear lsegment is formed -with an lopening30 therethrough and vthat a latch plate 3| is mounted on the top plate'fl''l and lhas downturned oppo-site end portions 13232 vdesigned topass through openings 34 in the-plate |1 and to engage in the Aopenings33-33 of Vthe gear segments so that they will lbe held slocked relativeto each other.

The latch plate 3| is mounted by -a leaf spring member 35 :attached atone end to plate and this yieldingly holds the latch set but permits it-to be :manually raised and its end portions disfengaged :from -the.gear openings when it is desired fto .convert the oar for forward rowngpurposes. W'hen the gear segments Vare locked :against turning and theshank 2| isfree to rotate, the oar structure may be 'pivoted up andldown on the bolt 23 and swung forward and rearward 'about the.supporting lshank in the manner of 'the ordinary oar.

Oars of this kind are 'especially desirable for lresort 'boats whereused primarily for pleasure purposes, 'but are useful and sometimes very-desirable for ordinary boat rowing Operations.

Changes in size and proportion of parts may be .made :and variousmaterials may be employed in their construction without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and therefore it is not desired that theclaim shall be limited in this respect but that they shall be given aninterpretation that is commensurate With the scope of the inventiondisclosed herein.

Having thus descrbed my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

The combination with a boat having an oar lock socket, of an oarstructure adapted for for- Ward or backward rowing comprising an oarlock having a Vertical mounting stem mounted foraxial rotation in saidsocket, a frame mounted hingedly upon said oar lock for oscill'ationabout a horizontal axis that extends in a direction generally lengthwise;of the boat, said frame compri-sing substantially horizontally disposedand vertically spaced, rigidly joined plates, gear segments mountedpivotally between the plates in intermeshed relationship, each formedwith an upwardly opening socket, 'anfoar handle fixed to 'one segmentand extended inboard, an oar blade -fixed vto the other segment andextended outboard, ;said upper frame plate having holes therethroughwith which thescckets in the gear segments may be registered, a lookingpin 'removably applied ;through the socket and 'stem to secure the oar'look against :turning for forward rowing, and -a looking means mountedon Vthe upper frame plate including a plate having legs ;adapted toextend vthrough the plate openings to engage within 'the -gear'-,sockets to hold the 'gear segmentsagainst relative turning,:and-yieldo able means for .retaining the looking means Vin lockedposition.

GENE W. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The 'following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: Z

UNITED STATES PATENTS Burns Oct. 30, 1928

